Tori Kelly Covers Hillsong United
Today, Tori Kelly is well-known for her powerhouse vocals and compassionate philanthropy, but before all that, she started off as a Youtube crooner covering any and every vocally challenging tune. While she’s got her own original music to sing now, the star returns to her roots: Covers, and this time, she’s worshiping Jesus with the track “So Will I” (100 Billion X). Tori Kelly has made public statements of faith, but you can really feel the emotion in her voice on this one.
Watch the video below, and then I want to focus on the lyrics after the jump!
Wow. What an incredible talent God has given Tori Kelly. But even beyond that, what a beautiful story this songs gracefully paints.
I absolutely love when a worship starts where the Bible starts. The beginning.
God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light
And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapour of Your breath, the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I
I don’t know about you, but I get absolute goosebumps when I visualize the cosmic wonder that first flash of light must have been. Each line is so descriptive and beautiful, without sacrificing the truth. These aren’t creative liberties being sung, this is the beauty of God the creator!
Then we move on to a further step in our relationship with God. This is when we start identifying His handiwork, hearing His voice, and our relationship feels like just that, a relationship.
God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice
And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I
You know, when I think about all the little creatures living underground, I don’t usually have pleasant thoughts. But to think that when God speaks, they are affected by His voice. It really shakes me. Every single little creature is full of His design. Wow. Then I see the sunset over the ocean and I start to see it completely different than before. A painted canvas of grace. That makes me tear up a bit. The beautiful sky is calling us in, deeper, to have that revelation and encounter with God.
Okay, here’s the kicker. This is the moment that I want to jump out of my seat and scream along. (I feel so bad for my neighbors). Sorry, not sorry.
If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times
Now we get to the outreach. The Gospel. The Encounter.
God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die
And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I
I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I
Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind
When I sing, “I can see your heart 8 Billion different ways, every precious one, a child you died to save. If you gave Your life to love them, so will I.” I feel my heart sinking. There are 8 billion people imprinted with His fingerprint, but I fall so short of loving them all. I can’t even love my own family half the time. But that’s what is so beautiful about Jesus. He loves us ALL; all 8 billion of us so much, and so equally. He’s truly the “ONe who never leaves the one behind.”
If you’re like me and want to listen all over again, check out the original version of the song!
